This Underrated Midwest Park Is An Outdoor Wonderland With A Rushing Waterfall, Peaceful Trails, And Camping

France might be known for fashion and wine, but Indiana's France Park has its own kind of charm in its cliffs, waterfalls, and cozy campground. The 550-acre park outside Logansport is about a 1-hour, 45-minute drive north of Indianapolis. It is a former limestone quarry with clear water ideal for swimming and even scuba diving. You'll find hikes through wooded hills, a rushing waterfall, and more than 200 campsites to make plenty of fireside memories away from the chaos of city life.

France Park is the perfect place to unplug with a solo camping trip or a getaway for the whole family, and it's the kind of place that has people coming back season after season with year-round offerings, including movie nights and poker runs. In the fall, the park transforms into one of Indiana's best spots for family-friendly Halloween fun, hosting the Sleepy Hollow Hayride every weekend in October — a tradition that started back in 1999 and continues to draw visitors from across the state. It also has trick-or-treating, costume contests, and other activities for families to enjoy. In the winter, bikers can trade their wheels for skis and hit the snow-covered trails. So, no matter the occasion, France Park keeps the calendar full and the outdoors exciting. Pack all the essentials for a quick and easy retreat and head north to explore a piece of magic tucked away in the Indiana wilderness.

The Kenneth Stone Quarry at France Park is a standout for water lovers. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, swimmers can enjoy the sandy beach, a fresh water swim, or playtime on the inflatable obstacle course. Cass County has kayak rentals available, with trips launching from the Michigan Avenue boat ramp in Logansport. It takes about four hours to paddle along the Eel and Wabash Rivers back to France Park.

For something a little more adventurous, Indy Dive Center hosts scuba diving excursions on the weekends. While you may not see tropical reefs at the bottom of the quarry, you can discover a 1940s school bus and old mining equipment. If you're lucky, you might even spot a spoonbill sturgeon, a massive "living fossil" fish species that dates back 40 million years. Half a mile away, anglers can enjoy casting a line at Lake Elzbeck. There you can find largemouth bass, redear bluegill, crappie, and other native species. If you're chasing waterfalls in Indiana, it's worth traveling an hour and a half southwest to find Indiana's tallest free-standing waterfall in Williamsport.

But you don't have to leave the park to find a great view. The campground has its own scenic 15-foot waterfall that flows into Lake Elzbeck. You can find the falls a short walk from the parking lot along a 1.4-mile loop, just one of 5 to 7 miles of hiking trails that wind through woods and along limestone cliffs. There are also 15 miles of biking trails, from paved paths to rugged, hilly terrain.